Simple Little Christmas - Hamliza Fic
To: @polkaberry
From: @lonnielei
Alexander Hamilton was lying down on his hard wooden floor, legs up against the brick wall of his home. The fireside was blazing bright, but he wasn’t feeling any of its warmth. How could he when he had the unshakable knowledge that everyone else in the New York colony was feeling the warmth of a family, probably with whom to drink toasts to the Revolution, and he was reduced to dealing with his angry ache over the British army in unwanted solitude? He wistfully looked up at his fireplace mantle, inhaling deeply and seriously considering sending up a prayer to his mother. That is, if the afterlife allowed such things.
He heard a knock at the door. Who could it have been at this ungodly hour? Figuring it was some seemingly unsilenceable British crier making their Christmastide rounds, he reluctantly got up to answer the door, all the while mentally preparing some bitterly harsh words to say. His jaw nearly dropped when he saw who he could swear was Elizabeth Schuyler, except bundled in a mountain of scarves, shawls, and classy hats that only the extremely wealthy could even hope to buy. And holding some kind of box. “E-Eliza?” He stammered in surprise that she would come out to see him. “What are you doing here?”
Eliza lowered a scarf that was covering her blue lips. “I… umm… had something for you. I’m so sorry it’s late, Father would never have approved if he knew I was giving gifts to any men besides him and my brothers.” She handed Alexander the box. “But… I’ll leave now.” She started to turn around and walk away.
Alexander watched her walk away, looking down at the big green and red box he had just been given and then at the one who had given it to him. “B-Betsey, wait,” he called out to her. “Please… stay with me. It’s dreadfully miserable here by myself.” He bit his lip. Now he just sounded vulnerable, but he hoped it would get her inside his home. After all, it was true that he could use some companionship. What better companionship could he get than that of the woman he loved?
Eliza stopped to consider the fact that everyone in her home, even the servants, were all asleep. Surely they wouldn’t mind if she stayed behind at the house of George Washington’s secretary for a little while. Especially when he needed someone the most. “Alright, alright,” she turned around and replied, pretending staying with him was such a big burden on her schedule. “I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.” She dashed into Alexander’s house, delirious with excitement to see him open her present.
They sat together face-to-face in front of the fire. Alexander’s eyes glowed as he watched the box just sitting there, hands tingling with uncontrollable glee. “Well,” Eliza teased, “I don’t have all year! Open it already!”
He gulped. “Will you open it with me, then? This is the first present I’ve ever gotten from anyone, and I want to share it with you."
Eliza looked back down at the box, trying not to show that she was blushing aggressively. She looked back up at Alexander. "I don’t see why not,” she quipped playfully. “Ready?”
Alexander nodded vigorously and crudely attempted to untie the green bow that was holding all the shopping paper together. Eliza couldn’t fight back giggles, no matter how hard she tried. She took his hands, which were still fiddling with the bow, and guided them through untying the bow in a… neater fashion. “There you go.” She said, chuckling at how she just helped one of the Continental Army’s most venerated troops accomplish such a simple task like untying a bow.
Alexander couldn’t help but chuckle a little as well at his own clumsiness. He peered inside the box. “A wreath!” His eyes lit up brighter than the fire itself as he held it up. He scanned the wall for a place to put it. “I can’t wait to hang this… somewhere.”
“You don’t have to hang it anywhere,” Eliza replied, taking the wreath from him, “but here!” She placed it on his head and beamed. “Do you like it?”
Alexander looked up and giggled, pulling Eliza closer to him in a tight hug. “I love it.”
Eliza took off one of her scarves and wrapped it around his neck. “Take this, too. For keeps.”
Alexander gave her a shocked look. He took the scarf off and held it back out to her. “I could never take it. It belongs to you.”
“That’s why I want you to have it. You’ll need it more than I do when you go back to fighting tomorrow.” Her eyes sparkled with sincerity as she pushed it back toward him. “Please take it.”
“I don’t fight, Betsey. I just man George Washington’s diary. Besides, even if I did fight, I wouldn’t have anything to give you in return for all the things you’ve given me.” Alexander sighed guiltily.
Eliza’s mouth was creased with solemnity. “Promise me you’ll do your best at manning General Washington’s journal, and that’ll be the only present you ever have to give me."
Alexander looked down. He looked deeply into Eliza’s eyes, almost as if he intended to pierce through them. "Cross my heart.” Staying inside a tiny tent and writing about the war rather than fighting in it was the last thing he wanted to do, but he would do it for Eliza.
Eliza’s face lightened up and she gave him a kiss on the forehead. Alexander rested his head on her shoulder, yawning and feeling worn-out but not wanting to let Eliza know. “Tired?” She smiled over at him as if he were her young child and she was his mother. He nodded pitifully. She wrapped an arm around him. “Close your eyes if you’re tired. I’ll stay for a while. Everyone in my house is sleeping at the moment, they can’t miss me too much, can they?” She winked at him. By the time she actually got a look at him, he was fast asleep.
“Sleep tight, Colonel Hamilton,” she whispered playfully, wrapping one of her coats around him. “You’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
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My Secret Santa present for @polkaberry! Merry Christmas, beauty/handsome/whatever adjective goes with the gender you identify as! I hope this is decent. ^^’